Typical ‘iron’ sights, which are unmagnified sighting devices without optics (i.e., mechanical sights), are commonly used in a manner whereby they are mounted permanently or temporarily to the top of a handheld or shoulder-fired firearm. This created a problem if there was a desire to use multiple sighting devices for targeting purposes. In this regard, a sighing device is also referred to herein as a targeting device. The iron sights on some rifles allowed for a scope or other type of sighting device to be mounted on the top of a firearm concurrently with the iron sights. However, when used in this manner, the iron sights became unusable because the shooter's line of vision for the iron sights was visually obscured (i.e., partially blocked) or completely blocked or when the iron sight was mechanically prevented by the optic from being deployed.
As military and law enforcement rifles began to utilize a large number of different sighting devices and accessories, the rear and/or the front iron sight was usually in the way and was either removed or covered by an added targeting instrument (e.g., a scope or other type of sighting device). Therefore, the utility of having iron sights as a back-up or close range sighting device was removed from the firearm and no backup or close range targeting device was available if the added targeting instrument became inoperable or became undesirable for a particular shooting task.
A partial solution to this problem was provided with the development and proliferation of accessory rails for firearms, such as the Picatinny M1913 style of rail. Initially, these accessory rails were mounted on the top of a firearm (i.e., above the barrel and/or receiver body), and later added to many quadrants surrounding the barrel. A variety of targeting devices, including folding iron sights, then came into common usage. However, folding iron sights did not remedy the problem of not being able to see through a magnified scope, holographic sight, or night vision scope if the devices failed or changing shooting requirements necessitated the need for the iron sights. Folding iron sights could be collapsed and moved out of the line of sight of other targeting devices, but the converse was not true. Obviously, an unneeded targeting device could be removed, but that is not usually an option in the heat of combat, especially if the device may be needed again shortly. Repeated removal and re-installing of a targeting device also compounds the problem by risking that the device would no longer be ‘zeroed’, thereby hampering its accuracy. Additionally, temporary removal and storage of a large unneeded targeting device may be significantly problematic during the intensity of battle.
Therefore, a solution for allowing iron sights to be used in a conjunction with other types of targeting devices in a manner that allows both types of targeting devices to be selectively used without interfering with the other and that allows a front and/or rear iron sight to be conveniently and effectively stowed would be advantageous, desirable and useful.